Protective Helmet System and Method

ABSTRACT

An inflatable component for a protective headgear according to various embodiments can include an inner surface facing an outer shell of the protective headgear. One or more inflatable structures may be provided between the inner surface and an outer surface of the inflatable component. A structure of the inflatable structure is designed having a pre-determined cross-sectional profile. The pre-determined cross-sectional profile of the inflatable structure is configured based on a head injury criteria. In various embodiments, the system and method can include an energy absorption component. In other embodiments, the system and method can include a reactive component.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/483,300 filed on Apr. 7, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present teachings relate generally to a protective helmet and, more particularly to a protective helmet comprised of at least one or more inflatable energy absorbing components, reactive components, or both.

BACKGROUND

The number of athletes participating in collision sports is constantly growing. Contact sports provide many opportunities for an athlete's head to experience one or more violent impacts during a collision. In contact sports, head-to-head collisions can lead to concussions, which pose serious health risks to players. Concussions are formally referred to as traumatic brain injury (TBI) or mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).

Current studies indicate that there is an increased risk of TBI among persons that have had at least one previous traumatic brain injury. It is known that the effects of repeated MTBI can have cumulative, long-lasting effects on cognitive function and can also expose an athlete to a period of greater risk of severe injury or death from a second or subsequent episode.

Protective headgear, such as helmets, are commonly worn to protect a participant's head from injury. Many types of protective headgear are known in the prior art. Most conventional helmets consist of a hard, molded outside shell with compression foam padding inserted between the head and the shell. Thus, most helmets today offer one or more internal compression layers within the outside shell.

Some traditional protective helmets having only internal compression padding lessen the force of impact, but they do a poor job of mitigating kinetic energy that a blow to the head sends through the skull. Thus, traditional protective helmets are not sufficient to protect against concussions. Some traditional helmets also fail to provide protection against multiple impacts or collisions. For example, primary or first impacts occur as a direct result of the initial impact between the helmet wearer and another player or object. A secondary impact is the impact suffered between the helmet wearer and an additional object (i.e., the ground) or one or more additional players, such as during a football pileup.

As a result of increased concerns regarding concussions, it is desirable to provide a headgear that protects players from serious short-term and long-term injury to the most valuable organ in the body, the brain. It is also desirable to provide an improved sport helmet for contact sports to protect players from concussion producing impacts. It is further desirable to provide a helmet having an inflatable layer external to the traditional outer shell that absorbs and reduces the energy of the initial impact before it hits the participant's brain. It is also desirable to provide a helmet having a reactive system included therein. It may also be desirable to design a helmet capable of providing energy absorption and/or a reactive component, system, or subsystem that mitigates head injury during primary and secondary impacts or collisions.

SUMMARY

The present invention may satisfy one or more of the above-mentioned desirable features. Other features and/or aspects may become apparent from the description which follow.

An inflatable component for a protective headgear according to various embodiments can include an inner surface facing an outer shell of the protective headgear. One or more inflatable structures may be provided between the inner surface and an outer surface of the inflatable component. A structure of the inflatable structure is designed having a pre-determined cross-sectional profile. The pre-determined cross-sectional profile of the inflatable structure is configured based on a head injury criteria. In various embodiments, the system and method employ an energy absorption component. In other embodiments, the system and method can include a reactive component.

Various embodiments provide a helmet capable of providing energy absorption and/or a reactive component, system, or subsystem that mitigates head injury during primary and secondary impacts or collisions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present teachings relate generally to a protective helmet and, more particularly to a protective helmet comprised of at least one or more inflatable energy absorbing components, reactive components, or both.

FIG. 1A illustrates a side view of a helmet.

FIG. 1B illustrates an inflatable component in accordance with the present teachings.

FIG. 2A illustrates a hollow profile structure in accordance with the present teachings.

FIG. 2B illustrates a tubular structure having a tri-dimensional structure in accordance with the present teachings.

FIG. 3 illustrates an inflatable structure having a solid profile without a cavity provided therein in accordance with the present teachings.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of an inflatable structure having a solid profile without a cavity provided therein in accordance with the present teachings.

FIG. 5 illustrates a truss structure in accordance with the present teachings.

FIG. 6 illustrates a platonic solid structure in accordance with the present teachings.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment having an inflatable component positioned on the outer shell and an inflatable component positioned on the inner shell.

FIG. 8A illustrates an underside view of a further embodiment of a helmet including a reactive system in accordance with the present teachings.

FIG. 8B illustrates a network of valves that can be employed in conjunction with the reactive system in FIG. 8A.

FIG. 8C illustrates a helmet assembly in accordance with the present teachings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

The protective helmet system and method described herein can be worn by various users participating in a variety of activities, sports or pastimes including. for example, football, military use, baseball, motorcyclist, skiing, ice hockey, field hockey, skateboard, equestrian riding, cricket, lacrosse and cycling. Namely, the protective helmet system and method according to the present teachings may be employed where risks may exist not just with possible impact with an airborne ball or other objects, but also where the wearer may suffer a fall or some other event resulting in a head impact. The use of such a helmet can dissipate the impact forces and mitigate head injuries.

In various embodiments, a device having an inflatable component, such as a rubber bladder 100, as shown in FIG. 1B, positioned on the outside surface of the outside shell of a helmet 10 in FIG. 1A. For example, the rubber bladder 100 may be inflated to approximately ¾″ to 1″ with air such that the point of inflation of the rubber bladder is softer than the inflation, for example, of a basketball. In this example, the point of inflation also enables the rubber bladder to absorb a vast amount of force created by the energy during a collision with the helmet 10 so that the helmet minimizes the impact force received by the head and brain. In this exemplary embodiment, the bladder 100 may include a relief valve (not shown) to slowly relieve air within the bladder upon impact to absorb and dissipate most of the energy before encountering the brain.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the inflatable component 100 comprises an inner layer 102, intermediate layers 104, 106, and an outer layer 108. The intermediate layers 104, 106 may be secured together to define the shape of individual inflatable structures, such as bladders 110. The inflatable bladder 110 receives fluid from a source of compressed fluid or gas (not shown) via a bladder tube (not shown). For example, the source of compressed fluid may be an air compressor that sequentially pressurizes the bladders. In some embodiments, the bladders should be capable of being repeatedly pressurized without failure.

Various embodiments provide an inflatable component comprising a plurality of inflatable structures 110 having a specific predetermined cross-sectional profile configured to absorb impact. In some embodiments, a hollow profile 112 is formed within the structure, as shown in FIG. 2A. In addition, a single inflatable structure may include a plurality of holes or cavities 114 in the inflatable component. As depicted in FIG. 2B, the inflatable structure may comprise a tubular structure having a tri-dimensional configuration.

In other embodiments, the inflatable structure may be formed having a solid profile without a cavity formed therein, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. For example, the solid profile may be configured to resemble an s-configuration 116 (FIG. 3), a x-configuration 118 (FIG. 4) or a y-configuration (not shown). Other configurations are known to those skilled in the art.

The plurality of inflatable structures can be of a variety of sizes and shapes. Although some of the figures show the inflatable structures having symmetrical profiles, it should be understood that the shape is not limited to those shown in the drawings. The inflatable structures shown in the figures are exemplary only and are not meant to be limiting.

In some embodiments, the inflatable structures can be attached to various positions along the outer shell of the helmet. In other embodiments, the inflatable structures can be attached to various positions within the inner shell of the helmet. In further embodiments, the inflatable structures can be combined and attached to both the outer shell and the inner shell.

The inflatable structure is configured to absorb energy delivered by an impact force. During a collision, in an embodiment wherein the inflatable structure(s) are attached to the outer shell, the inflatable structure is configured to first contact the helmet shell thereby dissipating energy from the impact force before the internal compression foam makes contact with the wearer's head. The extent to which the inflatable structure dissipates the impact force may be quantified using one of two different injury criteria, the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) score and the Gadd Severity Index (SI). Without the external inflatable component and/or inflatable structure(s), the force experienced by the helmet shell are higher as the force directly contacts the helmet shell.

In various embodiments of the inflatable structure(s), the pre-determined profile of the structure(s) can be configured based on one of two different injury criteria that are commonly used to distinguish impacts with a high likelihood of producing injury from those with a low likelihood. The Head Injury Criterion (HIC) score and the Gadd Severity Index (SI) are currently used to determine the likelihood of a significant brain injury.

The HIC formula is represented as:

$\left\{ {\left( {t_{2} - t_{1}} \right)\left\lbrack {\frac{1}{t_{2} - t_{1}}{\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}{{a(t)}{dt}}}} \right\rbrack}^{2.5} \right\}_{\max}$

where t₁ is the initial time and t₂ is the final time and the duration, t₂ and t₁, is taken so as to maximize the acceleration change over the time period and is not the total duration of impact. Typically, the maximum time duration is t₂−t₁≤15 milliseconds (ms) and α(t) is the resultant translational acceleration at the center of gravity of the head in units of g's (acceleration due to gravity) and t is time in milliseconds.

The HIC levels of injury are as:

Minor Head Injury is a skull trauma without loss of consciousness; fracture of nose or teeth; superficial face injuries.

Moderate Head Injury is a skull trauma with or without dislocated skull fracture and brief loss of consciousness.

Critical head injury is a cerebral contusion, loss of consciousness for more than 12 hours with intracranial hemorrhaging and other neurological signs, recovery is uncertain.

The SI formula is represented as follows:

SI=∫ ₀ ^(t)α(t)^(2.5) dt

where α(t) is the acceleration-time pulse of the impact and t is the duration of the impact.

A Gadd score of 1,000 or a HIC score of 1,000 is considered the threshold value for a single impact to be likely to cause significant brain injury. For further details on brain injury impact data, reference can be made, for example, to the article entitled, “Sports surfaces and the risk of traumatic brain injury” by Martyn R. Shorten and Jennifer A. Himmelsbach, BioMechanica, LLC.

A low HIC score or SI score indicates a lower risk of injury to the head during a collision. Therefore, a helmet designed with a low HIC or SI score is desirable. The inflatable structure(s) can be configured with various cross-sectional profiles that can be designed to reduce the HIC or SI score at various positions relative to the helmet to protect different parts of the brain. Thus, the geometry of the inflatable structures can be designed to protect a specific part of the brain. The inflatable structures achieve the desired HIC or SI score by being configured having a specific geometric design parameter (i.e. cross-section). Thus, in one embodiment, by virtue of the design, the desired HIC or SI score can be achieved independent of the material selection. In various embodiments, the inflatable component are substantially tubular structures and/or with complex cross-sectional profiles, as best shown in FIGS. 2B and 6.

In some embodiments, different segments of one or more inflatable structures 110, 112, 116, 118 may be configured to satisfy either the HIC or SI score should such a design best dissipate the impact force before reaching the user's brain. For example, intermediate layer 104 may be configured with a first material, such as synthetic rubber, to satisfy the HIC score, and the 106 may be configured with a second material, such as plastic polymers, to satisfy the SI score. For example, in various exemplary embodiments, the inflatable structure may be made of a material, such as rubber of all types and with different chemical-physical characteristics, plastics or elastomeric materials, and/or carbon fibers (i.e., Kevlar® and the like).

In some embodiments, the inflatable component may include a plurality of inflatable structures. For example, the inflatable structure may be configured having a truss structure as the cube truss 120 shown in FIG. 5 or having a solid structure as the platonic solids 122 shown in FIG. 6. In some embodiments, the inflatable component may include a plurality of inflatable structures consisting of a combination of both truss structures and solid structures.

As depicted in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 7, various embodiments of the inflatable component 124 may include one or more external inflatable components 126 a, 126 b, 126 c that surround the outside of the shell 128 and one or more corresponding internal inflatable components 130 a, 130 b, 130 c positioned within the inside of the outer shell abutting against the user's head. In some embodiments, one or more of the external inflatable components 126 a, 126 b, 126 c can be connected to the internal inflatable components 130 a, 130 b, 130 c by one or more air or gas flow passage 132 that permit air or gas to flow from one or more of the external inflatable component 126 b to one or more of the internal inflatable components 130 b and vice versus to lessen the amount of impact force as the force travels toward the participant's brain. A temporary plug 134 may be positioned within the passage 132 to temporarily seal the passage until the inflation pressure from external inflatable component 126 b passes through the passage 132 dislodging the plug and permitting the air the flow therethrough. In such an embodiment, one or more of the external inflatable structures may be initially inflated and the corresponding internal inflatable structure remains uninflated or partially inflated before impact. For example, one or more of the inflatable structures may be partially inflated before impact to provide the user with better comfort and fit. The partially segment completely inflates upon impact to provide additional absorption of the impact force. During an impact, as the impact force travels, the air correspondingly travels from the external inflatable structures of the external inflatable component through the inflation connector and further inflates the internal inflatable structures of the internal inflatable component.

In various embodiments, the device may include different types of inflation layers that consist of different inflatable structures. For example, the external inflation layer may consist of the bladder and the internal inflation layer may consist of a hollow structure, a solid structure, or a combination of both having a cross-sectional profile.

In various embodiments, the device may include one or more controllers and/or sensors such that the device is interactive. Controller may refer to a hardware device that includes a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store the modules and the processor is specifically configured to execute said modules to perform one or more processes described herein. The device may include one or more sensors (a) to detect an impact, measure and quantify the impact force, (b) to dynamically adjust inflation to counter react the impact, (c) for self-diagnosis—should one or more of the inflatable structures become damaged and need repair or replacement, (d) audible sensor to audibly indicate the amount of impact force, (e) visual sensor to visually display the amount of impact force, (f) accelerator, and (g) the sensor can be wirelessly connected to transmit impact data, inflation component data, and biometric data before and after impact for analysis so that data can be instantly transmitted and/or displayed for review, for example, by a doctor, a parent, a coach, and/or a referee.

In addition to the energy absorption component, in another exemplary embodiment depicted in FIGS. 8A-8C, helmet 200 may include reactive component, system or subsystem. The reactive force may be applied in response to an impacting object such that the inflatable structures inflate upon impact as a reaction to the impact. In some embodiments, the reactive component, system or subsystem may be one or more air bag sensors 202, 204, 206, 208, 210. FIG. 8A illustrates an underside view of a helmet 200 including a plurality of air bag sensors 202, 204, 206, 208, 210 operated by a valve network 300. FIG. 8B depicts an exemplary valve network 300 that can be positioned on top of the respective air bag sensors and used in combination to activate the air bags in FIG. 8A. FIG. 8C is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the energy absorption component 100 (as depicted in FIG. 1B) assembled with air bag sensors system 200 (FIG. 8A) and the valve network 300 (FIG. 8B) interdisposed therebetween.

In FIGS. 8A-8B, one or more air bag sensors 202, 204, 206, 208, 210 can be configured to deploy in moderate, serious, severe, critical or maximum impacts or collisions. Under the control of controller 302 using one or more impact sensors 304, the air bag sensors can operate in different combinations depending on the type and severity of the impact. In FIG. 8A, the helmet can comprise of a front air bag 202, right side air bags 204, left side air bags 208, rear air bag 206, and top air bag 210.

FIG. 8B depicts an exemplary valve network 300 that can be used in combination to activate the air bags in FIG. 8A. The system can include one or more gas flow passage 306 for supplying each of the respective air bags 202, 204, 206, 208, 210 with gas of an inflator 308. One or more valve 310 can be disposed between the inflator *** and the gas flow passage **. In some embodiments, a variable valve can be employed to selectively close and open the gas flow passage. For example, front air bags 202 can be deployed in a frontal impact by the activation of front valves 312. The right side air bags 204 can be deployed in a side impact by the activation of right side valves 314. The left side valves 318 can be activated to deploy the left side air bags 318 during a left side impact. The rear air bags 206 can be deployed in a rear impact by the activation of rear valves 316. Similarly, the top air bag 320 can be deployed in a top impact by the activation of top valve 320.

In operations, one or more sensors 304 or an electronic control unit (ECU) (not shown) constantly monitors for the amount of force of an impact. The air bag control module samples this data continuously, monitoring for at least a moderate and/or a severe impact. Using for example, the HIC or SI criteria, if a moderate or a severe impact is detected, the system takes actions within about 10 milliseconds-30 milliseconds (preferably 20 milliseconds), it evaluates the amount of force and the direction of the area of impact. For example, according to the HIC, a HIC score within a range of approximately 520-899 may be indicative of a moderate injury. A HIC score within a range of approximately 900-1254 may indicate a serious injury. A HIC score within a range of approximately 1255-1574 may indicate a severe injury. Injuries above 1575 will exceed the threshold of critical and maximum which may be life threatening.

In one exemplary embodiment, the system may be configured such that if the impact force exceeds a moderate threshold, one or more air bag may be deploy. A signal ignites a chemical reaction producing a rapid expansion of gas, such as nitrogen gas, inflating the one or more air bags in about 20 milliseconds-40 milliseconds (preferably 30 milliseconds). The system may be programmed having various deployment threshold. For example, in another embodiment, the activation threshold may be set to activate when a severe impact is detected.

The deployment of the air bags serves to supplement the energy absorption component in FIGS. 1B-7, when needed during at least a moderate or severe impact or collision. In various embodiments, the air bags sensors can also be employed selectively such that one or more air bags may be activated during a primary or first impact. Thereafter, should a secondary impact occur, one or more different air bags may be deployed to assist in protecting the user's head from further impact and injury.

In various embodiments, a modular device is provided wherein one or more inflatable structures can be removed, replaced or repaired independent of the other inflatable components.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the protective headgear system and method of the present disclosure without departing from the scope its teachings.

Other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the teachings disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only. 

1. An inflatable component for a protective headgear, comprising: an inner surface facing an outer shell of the protective headgear; one or more inflatable structures provided between the inner surface and an outer surface of the inflatable component; a structure of the one or more inflatable structures having a pre-determined cross-sectional profile; and the pre-determined cross-sectional profile of the one or more structure is configured based on the Head Injury Criteria or the Gadd Severity Index.
 2. A method of manufacturing an inflatable component, comprising: forming an inner surface facing an outer shell of the protective headgear; forming one or more inflatable structures provided between the inner surface and an outer surface of the inflatable component; and forming a structure of the one or more inflatable structures having a pre-determined cross-sectional profile; wherein the pre-determined cross-sectional profile of the one or more structure is configured based on the Head Injury Criteria or the Gadd Severity Index.
 3. An inflatable component for a protective headgear, comprising: an inner surface facing an outer shell of the protective headgear; one or more inflatable structures provided between the inner surface and an outer surface of the inflatable component; a structure of the one or more inflatable structures having a pre-determined cross-sectional profile; the pre-determined cross-sectional profile of the one or more structure is configured based on the Head Injury Criteria or the Gadd Severity Index; a plurality of air bags coupled with the one or more inflatable structures; at least one gas flow passage for supplying one or more of the plurality of air bags with gas from an inflator; and at least one valve positioned between the gas flow passage and the inflator to selectively control the opening and closing of each gas flow passage.
 4. The inflatable component of claim 3, further comprising: a controller for detecting impact signals transmitted from one or more impact sensors for determining a type of impact subjected to the protective headgear during a collision; the controller selecting one or more of the plurality of air bags to be deployed in response to the detected impact signals; and the controller operating the valve to deploy the selected air bag.
 5. The inflatable component of claim 4, wherein the type of impact comprises at least one of a primary impact and a secondary impact.
 6. The inflatable component of claim 4, wherein the type of impact is selected from the group consisting of: a moderate collision, a serious collision, a severe collision, a critical collision, and a maximum collision.
 7. The inflatable component of claim 3, wherein the inflatable structure has a configuration selected from the group consisting of: a plurality of holes or cavities, a tubular structure having a tri-dimensional configuration, a solid profile without a cavity, a solid profile configured to resemble an s-configuration, and a truss profile.
 8. The inflatable component of claim 3, wherein portions of the inflatable structure is configured based on either the Head Injury Criteria or the Gadd Severity Index to protect different parts of a brain of a user wearing the protective headgear during an impact of a collision.
 9. The inflatable component of claim 3, further comprising one or more sensors for detecting, measuring and quantifying an impact force subjected to the protective headgear during a collision.
 10. The inflatable component of claim 9, wherein the one or more sensors dynamically adjusts inflation of the one or more inflatable structures in response a detection of the impact force subjected on the protective headgear. 